Bearers' Burdens
by Sokkasm
Summary: While the three bearers of the triforce may have been chosen by the goddesses, they are not without their flaws. The three must overcome their shortcomings and learn to work together so they can fight against corruption that threatens Hyrule and everyone in it. Only time will tell if they will be the ones to save the world or if they'll be the vessels of destruction. (Triforce ot3)
1. Chapter 1

Link sat patiently on the wooden floor as his shoulder-length hair was pulled into a haphazard braid, the comb forcing through the multitude of snarls caused him to wince, but otherwise he remained motionless and silent. The only lighting in the room came from the flickering purple candles mounted on the support beams of the bookshelves, a faint scent of lilac from the melting wax permeated in the air and created a feeling of calmness. More books than he could ever hope to read lined the shelves on the walls, how fortunate it was for those like him who had access to this room. It was true he wasn't permitted into the actual library, but being in this room never failed to make him feel at ease, it had been the first place the princess brought him to.

The comb harshly snagged a knot and a small grunt of pain managed to slip out of his throat.

"Sorry, that was unintentional." Zelda apologized sweetly, her soft voice always seemed to make him feel safe. Link turned and offered his friend a sincere smile, he knew she wouldn't purposefully harm him. She pulled out one of her dark blue ribbons and used it to firmly tie the end of his braid. Not only was she a comfort for him, he was a comfort for her, too. They adored their time alone, Zelda loved playing with Link's hair while talking about her day. While he wasn't always able to talk back, he always listened with open ears.

"Come now, I want to show you something. If that's alright?" that was another thing he loved, she rarely gave him commands unlike the rest of the inhabitants in the castle. The only time she did was when the situation called for it, namely when they were in the presence of other people. Link nodded his head in affirmation and the two carefully left the room through one of the many hidden passages. While what they were doing wasn't against any rules, both would rather avoid confrontation from nosy servants.

They climbed the narrow and musty stairway to the top, when the door was opened they were greeted to the sight of an ornate white and silver marble balcony. The rails were made up of delicately carved dragon and phoenix statues, the view overlooked the river that snaked around the eastern side of the castle. The half moon shone upon the land and reflected against the calm waters, shooting stars streaked across the midnight black sky.

Zelda was leaning against the railing, her loose blonde hair and yellow nightgown ruffled slightly in the warm night breeze. The ambient noises from Castle City were not present on this side of the fortress, instead all they heard were chirping insects and the occasional hoot of an owl. Link stood next to his friend and he closed his eyes contently, he always enjoyed the rare moments he was allowed outside. To feel the breeze upon his face and smell the summer air was pure bliss.

Something he and Zelda had in common was their desire to leave the confines of the castle, they'd often talked about running away when they were kids. Of course they had been nothing more than foolish childish dreams, the might of the king was not to be trifled with. One time he and Zelda managed to get as far as the orchard, they indulged themselves on sweet peaches and tart apples until they had been discovered by the Royal Guards. The princess had been grounded for a week and she wasn't allowed to have dessert after meals, Link had been taken into the knights' corridor for his punishment. Even to this day he'd never spoke of what transpired in the depths of the castle, he didn't want to burden her with that knowledge.

The princess was innately intelligent, however, Link knew she wasn't oblivious to his bruises and injured wrists. Over the years he stopped acting out and sassing back, nowadays he was seen simply as a mostly docile ornament, he didn't want to hurt Zelda with his impulsive actions anymore.

"You see that constellation up there?" Zelda asked while pointing her finger at the sky. Link located the diagonal four stars she was referring to and nodded. "It's called Farore's Courage." Link bristled upon hearing that, besides a few servants and Zelda, no one called him by his name. It was always 'hey you!' or 'kid' or 'boy'. On days when important nobles or dignitaries came to visit the king, he was paraded around like a precious treasure and called 'Farore's Courage', though they viewed him as an unfortunate byproduct. The triangle mark on his hand was all anyone cared about, they couldn't be bothered to care about the person it was attached to.

"Tonight is the night the star on the tip of the sword appears, you see, it's actually a planet called Vallores." she reached out and rested her hand on top of his. "I believe in the legends of old even if my father chooses not to. You should be treated as a hero, not as an object in a treasury. I think you are incredibly brave." she gently squeezed his hand and continued to gaze longingly at the starry sky.

The teens stood quietly on the balcony, both wished the peace wouldn't have to end any time soon. Zelda offered him a chunk of fudge she managed to sneak into her pocket and he gladly munched on it. Childish dreams be damned, someday he and Zelda would be free from this prison.

"It's getting late, we should go." Link nodded with frown and he looked at the sky one last time before they entered the dark interior of the castle. "Good night." Zelda said before they split ways. Link was on his own to navigate the musty pathways, thankfully he knew many of the corridors by heart and he was able to make it to his room before anyone spotted him.

His room was in the basement along with the other servants, the floor and walls were made of the same dreary gray stones. The room was just big enough to fit a cot and an elm chest filled with a few changes of clothing, in a free corner was a small table where he kept his few belongings. He brought the candle towards it and inspected his things; a partially eaten stick of dried venison, a quartz rock given to him by the cook's five year old daughter, an old Rito coin he found years ago in some unswept corner, and a silver necklace.

Link set the candle on the table and he grabbed the necklace, it had been a gift from Zelda a year earlier. The pendant that the silver chain looped through was crudely chiseled jade triangle, that made it all the better since Zelda had been the one to carve it. He slipped it over his head and the cold rock rested comfortably on his warm chest, wearing it gave him a small sense of security. After meandering for a few moments, he went onto his cot and tried to make himself comfortable by adjusting the straw in his pillow.

With an exasperated sigh he eventually closed his eyes and allowed himself to fall asleep.

When morning came he was awakened by the loud creak of his door opening, he groaned when a boot started prodding his side. He opened his eyes and cringed when he saw his alarm clock was in the form of an equally grumpy looking member of the Royal Guard.

"Get up, the Harinsons will be arriving by noon." Link took his blanket off and stretched his tense leg muscles. The knight waited outside his door to give him a bit of privacy while he relieved himself in the chamber pot and changed into his day clothes. Once he was adequately presentable he followed the guard to one of the massive entertainment rooms on the main floor, he stood in his usual spot next to a row of cushioned chairs. The walls were decorated with numerous red banners with gold trimming, the floor had a similar narrow rug that extended from the door to the far wall.

Behind him at eye level was a polished sword with an iridescent violet-blue hilt, a lump appeared in his throat when he realized it was there begging to be free from the glass prison it resided in. It was the same sword he pulled out of a pedestal seven years earlier, he remembered cheering with his friends in the old temple. The knights who guarded the place confronted him and invited him to visit the castle and royal family, what ten year old would pass up that opportunity? When he arrived it was explained to him the mark on his hand was valuable, then he did as he was told and placed the sword into the display case for supposed protection. After spending a week in the castle he thanked the knights and explained he needed to go home to his grandparents, they were probably worried about him. Incidentally that's when he discovered he wasn't allowed to leave.

Admittingly Link hadn't thought about his grandparents in a long time. Did they still think about him? Did they miss him? Were they even alive? He had no way of knowing.

His stomach rumbled and he rubbed it in a feeble attempt to keep it quiet, he'd get to eat when this meeting was over with. He glanced at the tapestry across from him and admired the needle work, it must have taken years to complete. It was a scene of the princess and hero of old legends fighting off a horde of monsters that seemed to manifest from wisps of black and purple smoke. The hero was holding a sword that bore a striking resemblance to the one that rested behind him, his blond hair was accented with golden thread, his blue eyes were the same color as the ocean on a sunny day. The princess looked similar, although her hair was a few shades lighter.

Link looked at the mark on his left hand for a moment and covered it with his right. There had been times where he had been told the mark showing up on his hand was an accident, he looked nothing like the past heroes. He'd also been told the mark chose someone with great courage, how could it possibly be him when he was too anxious to speak most of the time? They weren't wrong, this had to be some sort of cruel mistake. All he could do was endure.

A horn played a fanfare and ushered in the arrival of the knights and visiting nobles, once the room was filled the horn played a calm tune. The guests talked loudly and pointed at the different treasures and baubles that happened to catch their eyes. The lords and ladies suddenly bowed their heads; the sovereign had arrived. Link kept his head low and made sure to avoid eye contact while he did his best to not fidget in place. Whenever he was in close proximity to the King he always felt an urge to act out and fight back, he couldn't act upon his feelings though due to the fact he did indeed have a sense of self preservation. Besides, Zelda would be disappointed with him if he died in such a foolish way.

The King made an announcement about some nonsense pertaining to the occasion, Link couldn't be bothered to pay attention. Instead he focused on the floor and traced the grout lines with his eyes. He was aware of the nobles walking past him and observing him, the guard next to him explained to the onlookers he carried Farore's Courage. There were a few 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from that.

"So he's a hero then?" a lady within the group asked.

"Haha, 'course not, don't tell me you believe in those old fairy tales." a lord said while taking a sip of wine from a golden cup.

"Obviously the mark is hereditary, unfortunately it seems it transferred to the wrong blood down the line." Link tensed and narrowed his eyes after hearing that. He knew he wasn't hero material, but he was still a Hylian like the rest of these pretentious scumwads. He withdrew his arm and tore his hand out of the grip of the lord who happened to be inspecting it. Something in the back of his mind told him to take the sword, he could be free if he wielded it.

"You better knock it off and improve your be-" Link interrupted the whispering guard by introducing his elbow to the man's face. He spun around and punched the display case, the glass cracked and then finally shattered after a few more hits. The sword felt right in his hand, with it he could accomplish anything. A shout and clanging armor brought him out of his hazy thoughts and made him aware of the situation around him. People stared at him in shock, no, there was something else as well. Fear. They were scared of him.

He tossed the sword on the ground like it was a venomous snake, it clattered uselessly on the cream colored floor. Desperately he looked around and his eyes briefly met with the King whose expression was impossible to read. Link didn't know what overcame him with the sword, while the nobles were jerks he didn't wish to hurt them. The various noises were too overwhelming for him to focus on any one thing, he closed his eyes and hoped this was simply a bad dream. It wasn't.

Two knights grabbed him by the arms and led him away, when he opened his eyes he saw the one on the left was the one he gave a bloody nose to. He was escorted roughly to his room, a heavy thud indicated that the door was blocked. The room was dark and he hadn't found an opportunity to restock his candle supply, so he laid somberly on his cot in the blackness.

He still did not understand why he thought it was a genius idea to take the sword. Actually he hadn't thought at all, it seemed like it was a reflex. Zelda often told him he could be impulsive, she explained to him in great scientific detail that it wasn't his fault and it was related to his reluctance to speak but he didn't remember the specifics of the conversation. He was far too embarrassed to admit that sometimes when she spoke of things he didn't understand he would simply smile and nod instead of asking for clarification.

He hoped Zelda was doing okay.

Link lost count of how many times he woke from his restless slumber, it was hard for him to sleep without the flicker of a candle. A few times the door opened and a few pieces of bread and a cup of water were placed on the floor. He didn't know how often they were feeding him so that wasn't useful as a measure of time. All he knew was the meager bread was not enough to stave off his hunger.

After what seemed like an eternity the door finally swung open and revealed two guards. Without either of them saying a word Link knew what to do. He stood and leaned back on the wall with his hands crossed in front of him, it was a common enough ritual so he went with it rather than being yelled or kicked at. The guards tied his hands with a rope and led him out of the confines of his room. He thought being locked away with nothing to eat but stale bread was punishment enough, but evidently that wasn't the case.

Oddly enough he was taken up the stairs rather than the knights' corridor. His heart raced at the thought of being punished by the king, he'd never done anything bad enough to warrant that. His fear was confirmed when he was ushered into a sitting room he recognized that led to the main throne room. He sat cross legged on the floor and took deep breaths in an attempt to calm his racing heart, he allowed no emotions to display on his face. The guards talked quietly to each other and Link heard one of them mention they wouldn't have to be on babysitting duty anymore. Were they planning on getting rid of him?

"Those Gerudo are going to eat you alive, boy." one of the knights said loud enough for him to hear. He didn't give them the satisfaction of having a reaction, he continued to stare ahead while maintaining his deep breathing. The threat didn't scare him in the slightest, he met plenty of Gerudo traders back in his home village, they were peaceful people who liked to keep to themselves. Assuming of course something hadn't changed in his seven year absence.

The door opposite to the throne room opened and in walked a group of five people. They wore long elaborately decorated tunics that were both practical for travelling and elegant enough to indicate they were important. The golden jewelry they wore contrasted brilliantly against their dark brown skin, as did their fiery red-orange hair. Goddesses, he had forgotten how tall they could be. The lone male in the group stepped towards the guards with an air of authority.

He was shorter than all of the women and he didn't look all that old, despite that when he apprehended the two knights they both recoiled and looked as nervous as newborn hares. Link allowed himself a better look at the situation and he made eye contact with the Gerudo for a brief moment before refocusing his attention to more important things like the vacant wall.

"You keep your chosen detained?" the foreigner asked with a tone that practically demanded respect. There was a long pause and one of the knights nudged the other with his elbow.

"Chosen? He's just a kid with a fancy mark." the knight eventually replied. The Gerudo chuckled and said something to his companions in their own language. Looking moderately annoyed at being laughed at, the knight continued, "Besides, if a dog bites you, you put it on a leash."

"Hm, I suppose that is true," the Gerudo spoke while walking towards the throne room door, "but I hope you won't find it presumptuous of me to say you shouldn't give the dog a reason to bite in the first place. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with your...king." and with that the Gerudo entered the throne room and shut the door behind him.

The women spoke amongst themselves in a language he couldn't understand, although he still remembered a couple words from childhood not that he'd be able to uphold a conversation with them. One of them strayed from the group and she knelt beside him, the knights at this point were stationed by the door so they wouldn't have to be anywhere near the visitors.

"Hello, Link, was it? May I see your hand?" Link stared at the lady like an idiot for a moment, he wasn't used to people asking. Plus he was shocked he knew his name, it hadn't been announced or anything like that. He nodded his head eventually as a response. The woman gently inspected his hand and mumbled something in Gerudo. "My name is Urbosa, it's a pleasure to meet you. We'll deal with the rest of introductions later." she gave him a friendly smile before returning to her small group.

After roughly half an hour the door to the throne room swung open and revealed the rather smug looking Gerudo male. He announced excited foreign words to his companions and they seemed pleased by whatever it was he had to say. They grabbed their belongings off the ground and started to file out of the room. The male stayed behind and stood in front of Link with one outstretched hand. Link being none the wiser grabbed it and allowed himself to be hoisted up. Something strange was going on, his confusion must have showed because the Gerudo gave him a heavy pat on the shoulder as he was led out of the room by the stranger.

"Well Hylian, you are under my care now."

* * *

 **A/N:** So I decided to write another loz story on top of my other one cause this was begging to be written. Please leave me your thoughts if you could be so kind. Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

_Two Months Earlier_

Ganondorf leaned his shoulder on the wooden fence post and yawned as he watched animals graze in the enclosure. His draft bay mare towered comically over the ponies and sheep next to her, what a fine animal she was. The hills around the stable were covered with thick tall grass and little white flowers, the only thing that broke the endless green besides the blue sky was the sight of a few trees and buildings in the distance. Beyond the hills he could see several towers which he knew belonged to Hyrule Castle.

He'd been in Hyrule before of course, but never in the central portion of it. He often went to Faron in order to trade, the people there were always kind and welcoming to him and his sisters, they even celebrated similar holidays. Here in the central area people kept their distance and held tightly onto their bags as if they thought he planned on robbing them. How ridiculous.

An impressive white stallion with a cloaked rider came barreling down the gray brick road and only showed signs of slowing when it arrived at the stable. When Ganondorf saw it had flashy golden and violet tack he rolled his eyes in annoyance, surely there had to be less conspicuous steeds somewhere within the royal stables. He whistled for his own horse and he climbed onto her saddle once he freed her from the pen. He patted her neck twice and looked behind him and saw the cloaked Hylian do the same, that was the signal he was looking for. The rider passed him without so much as a glance, he urged his mare into a canter and he followed the white stallion.

Just as the letter he received a week ago said the rider turned down a narrow path, he rode by it and veered toward a winding path that led through the forest. Everything about this screamed trap, but if the letter wasn't from the princess then he didn't know who it could have been from. He didn't have any enemies and his people had been nothing but peaceful with the Hylians for decades now. In case this ended up being some malicious ploy he did have his swords readily accessible on his waist.

The path finally ended and he was greeted to the sight of a clear pool of water with various flowers and bushes growing around it. The stallion was happily munching on some plants, his rider was nowhere to be seen. Ganondorf dismounted and let his mare drink from the cool water, his hands hovered over his swords as he looked at the trees around him for any signs of life. This was stupid, he didn't know why he agreed to this.

Just as he was about ready to call over his mare so he could leave and forget this ever happened, he felt the tip of a blade resting dangerously between his shoulder blades. He could have easily turned around to disarm the person, but he decided to play along out of curiosity.

"State your name and business." the voice commanded.

"Ganondorf Dragmire, as you can see I'm taking a stroll through the woods."

"What's the code word?" he recognized that from the letter, he lowered his hands knowing this encounter would be a friendly one.

"Truffles." he responded and the blade retreated. "Honestly, wasn't that a little overkill?"

"I had to ensure you weren't a spy from the castle." Ganondorf turned around and was face to face with Princess Zelda.

"I can't imagine there are many Hylian spies who look like Gerudo men." he pointed out but the princess seemed unfazed by his retort. Ganondorf shifted uncomfortably and eventually sat down on a mossy fallen tree. He messed with his braid and sighed when Zelda continued to watch him from where she rigidly stood. "What is so important that you had me come all the way to Central Hyrule? It's too cold here."

"I sincerely apologize for your suffering."

"You don't have to talk to me like that, we're still friends right?" he asked while defending himself from his horse who was currently attempting to nibble on his hair and clothes.

"Ten years is a long time."

Ouch. So that's how it was then. He truly couldn't blame her, ten years was a long time for someone to change, especially when that person was a child. It wasn't his fault she stopped visiting him, nor was it hers. Admittingly it hurt that Zelda no longer considered him a friend, but if she was seeking him out now after all this time then she must be desperate. He may not be her friend anymore, but she was still his and he would always help a friend in need.

"Yes it is," he finally responded after clearing his throat, "so what do you need?"

"I need you to get something out of the castle for me."

"Oh?" his head perked up and he looked at Zelda curiously.

"The King has a person locked away, I need you to free him. He's the third." she tapped her right hand for emphasis, Ganondorf knew the mark of the triforce was hiding beneath her skin. He also took note that she still refused to address the king as her father.

"Okay." he said and shoved his horse's head away for what seemed like the thousandth time, honestly that animal would be the death of him. He still loved her though.

"Just okay? You're not going to question this?" Zelda looked fairly annoyed, it was the first expression she gave him after ten years of not seeing him. What an honor.

"Not really. Wait, how old is this kid because I don't do diapers, feeding, naptimes, or bedtime stories." as he spoke he counted on his fingers, the princess didn't seem amused.

"He's only a year younger than us, now will you please take this seriously?"

"I am taking this seriously!" he feigned shock and grinned when Zelda narrowed her eyes at him. "When do I get to storm the castle?"

"There will be no storming of the castle."

"Aw, I wanted to see the look on your fa-, er, king's face. Maybe rough him up a bit while I'm at it." he managed to stop himself from saying 'father', and just for a second he thought he saw a bit of a smile from Zelda.

"That plan would work well if you wanted thousands of Hylian troops storming your home. I have an idea that will keep everyone safe." Ganondorf nodded for her to continue, she was right, he couldn't endanger his family by doing something entirely reckless. "You have a meeting with the King a week after the new year, from my understanding you'll be discussing trade routes and you'll be exchanging goods. I'll make sure Link is one of the offerings on the table and you'll negotiate until he's declared yours." There were so many things that could go wrong but he was never one to back down from a challenge. He lived for the thrill of a good challenge.

"What do you want me to do with this Link of yours once I have him?"

"All I ask is you keep him safe. Do you accept?"

"Of course I do."

"Then I will be seeing you in a couple months." Zelda turned and walked towards her horse. She rode away without saying another word and left him alone in the forest. He'd never admit it but he hated being by himself, his whole life he'd always been surrounded by his sisters and they always travelled with him wherever he went. This had been the first time he went on a trip without at least one companion, he was starting to feel rather isolated.

He called his horse and began his long ride south towards home. There were many preparations to be made before his inevitable return to Central Hyrule, he had plans of his own to make in order to ensure the safety of the princess' plot. This wasn't something he would take lightly, not when lives were on the line.

So on he rode alone.

* * *

 _Present_

When Ganondorf entered the walls of Hyrule Castle for the first time he had to admit he was impressed. It was unbelievably large and packed with a myriad of soldiers, it was no wonder no raid in history had been successful in overtaking the mighty fortress. Banners of all sizes with the royal crest were in every imaginable nook and cranny; flagpoles, rugs, wall furnishings. He wouldn't be surprised if the king used toilet paper bearing the crest to wipe his royal buttocks.

His sisters surrounded him and chatted among themselves, he felt the protective measure was unneeded, he could take care of himself. Sure he was far smaller and younger than all of them but they didn't need to hover like he was a lamb under attack from wolves. He was the ambassador to the Gerudo, what would the Hylians think when they saw he was hidden away? Whatever, he didn't care.

When they marched through the corridors he noticed the Hylians kept their distance and looked frightened. As they should! The Gerudo were renowned around the world for being fierce warriors, no one would dare fight them. Lately they were more well known their oasis spas and delicious cuisine, that was okay, the spas made sure that tourists kept visiting to spend lots of money.

They passed countless doors and hallways until their guide led them into a rather large waiting room. Tapestries and paintings covered the walls, one of the pieces depicted a historical scene that happened hundreds of years ago between the Hylians and Gerudo. At the time the event had been known as Rhoaman's Expansion after the tyrant king who started it, nowadays it was often referred to as the War of Sorrows. Both Gerudo and Hylians living in neutral territories were mercilessly attacked and forced out of their homes to make way for the construction of some temples and holy cities. Ganondorf couldn't help but wonder if having his sisters and him wait in this room with the painting was a coincidence or not.

Before he could think on it his sisters started bowing in a polite Hylian fashion. He turned around and saw why they were doing that, Princess Zelda had entered the room. She wore a simple blue dress that somehow managed to match her eyes perfectly, in her hand she held a rolled up scroll. Ganondorf bowed as well and straightened himself when Zelda approached. His sisters stopped bowing when the princess acknowledged them with a wave of her hand.

"Welcome to Hyrule Castle, I hope you've found your stay hospitable." she said while standing still.

"Thank you for having us, it's an honor." Ganondorf hating this part of being an ambassador, he was horrendous at word play. Not only was Hylian a second language for him making it hard to speak at times, he also spoke a southern dialect of it which for whatever reason a lot of nobles thought it made him sound uneducated. He had to think before speaking to important people so he wouldn't sound like a complete idiot. He often wished his people could forgo tradition this one time and make someone with a better understanding of the foreign language ambassador instead. "My sisters with me today have been informed of the situation, you can speak freely without worry."

"I'd like you to give this to Link once you're out of the city." she handed him the scroll and he placed it into his pocket. "It'll help him understand what's happening."

"You mean he has no idea what's going on?"

"No he doesn't." she replied quietly, she almost looked ashamed. He decided not to pry for her sake.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure he stays safe." he said reassuringly and prepared himself to meet with the king. He was aware that he was over-enunciating vowels and slurring some words together in the southern fashion, he'd have to do his best to not let the accent take over during this meeting.

"I've managed to convince the King that Link is a liability, if you negotiate well you could be bringing home more than him."

"Noted."

"When you do have Link, please keep in mind he's shy, don't overwhelm him."

"I won't."

"He likes to read a lot, be sure to give him plenty of books."

"Okay."

"Teach him how to fight and defend himself, he wasn't allowed to here."

"Mhmm." at this point Ganondorf didn't think Zelda was paying attention to him.

"Give him a nice bed with extra blankets, he likes to nestle."

"...Oh my Din…"

"Milk products make his stomach queasy, so avoid giving him too much dairy."

"Yes mother." he said and Zelda blushed upon her realization that she had been rambling. It was a trait of hers he remembered from childhood, it seemed that some things never changed. "I promise you I'll protect him, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, Gan." he smiled upon hearing the old nickname and nodded. His sisters stood by him as he walked towards the door, he huffed air into his chest and made himself look as tall as he could. Before he turned the knob he glanced at Zelda one last time.

"You're always welcome in the desert." he said to her sincerely and he entered the new room.

It was a small room with hardly any decorations, all it had were a few chairs and a table with a vase filled with wilting blue flowers on top of it. By the doorway stood two guards, the lack of medallions on their armor indicated they were of lower rank. When he and his sisters entered, they immediately straightened and regarded them cautiously. What caught his attention was the Hylian on the floor with tied hands, he knew this must be Link.

He didn't know what he'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't this. The teen was incredibly small in every aspect of the word, Ganondorf made a mental note to get the Hylian on a high protein diet as soon as they got home. Link looked like he hailed from the southern region in Faron with his light brown skin and dark brown hair, his hazel eyes were also typically seen on the people in that area. Seeing the teen bound made him angry, how anyone could have looked at such and innocent and sweet looking boy and decide to lock him up clearly had no heart. His emotions got the better of him and he stormed towards the knights.

"You keep your chosen detained?" he asked angrily, the guards shrank back with fear in their eyes. Foolish cowards they were. After a long and awkward pause, one of the knights nudged the other with his elbow to usher him into responding.

"Chosen? He's just a kid with a fancy mark."

Ganondorf laughed and spoke to his sisters in Gerudo fully confident they were they only ones in the room who could speak it.

"The idiot doesn't know of his own people's legends, it's no wonder the princess wanted us to free Courage." they nodded in agreement and his oldest sister, Nabs, chuckled along with him.

"Besides," the knight continued, "if a dog bites you, you put it on a leash."

"Hm, I suppose that is true," Ganondorf spoke while taking deep breaths. Here he had to fight with his words and not his fists. "but I hope you won't find it presumptuous of me to say you shouldn't give the dog a reason to bite in the first place. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with your...king." he paused before saying the last word, it left a nasty feeling on his tongue. He walked past the guards and at last entered the throne room.

It was a large circular room with a myriad of stain glassed windows, knights with medals of all colors lined the perimeter. While he was confident with his combat skills, he didn't think even he could fight them all without some sort of help. The narrow blue and gold carpet he stood on led to the raised marble throne. On top of the purple cushion sat the mighty king of Hyrule, King Rhoaman VII Hyrule. He was a stout man with gray hair, his blue robes looked like they were fitted for someone a few sizes smaller.

Ganondorf remembered to bow, he couldn't afford to come off as rude and disrespectful. He felt like a bit of a hypocrite since he decided to keep his hair down for the meeting, it was considered impolite with the Gerudo to not put up their hair during important encounters but he doubted the Hylians knew that. It was a subtle way of him displaying his strong dislike for the sovereign, even if the only ones who caught on were his four sisters waiting in the other room. Was it petty? Yes. Was he bitter? Absolutely.

"We are well met, Ganondorf Dragmire, Ambassador of the Gerudo."

"It's an honor to be here, your Majesty. I must thank you for your generous hospitality."

"The pleasure is mine. Come, have a seat." Ganondorf took that as his signal to cease bowing and he walked heavily towards the chair in front of the throne. He was displeased that he had to look up at the king to make eye contact, back home everyone was seen as an equal, clearly that wasn't the case here. "I have been looking forward to your arrival."

"As have I your Majesty." they were originally supposed to meet half a year ago but severe flooding in southern Hyrule prevented Ganondorf from travelling. Already he was annoyed, he didn't think he'd be able to keep up the dumb charade or speaking nicely. Still he did his best to not make it apparent he wasn't a great speaker.

"I've been receiving complaints from the nobles that spices are becoming scarce, it is a sad day when a man has not even so much as a pinch of salt to season his steak."

"Truly it is a tragedy." Ganondorf spoke then immediately mentally reprimanded himself, he hoped the king hadn't caught the sarcasm behind his tone.

"I'm glad you understand, now I'm sure there's a valid reasoning behind your people's reluctance to sell us spices." Ganondorf may not know the ways of word play all that well, but he knew a threat when he heard one. He knew the Hylians had no access to the salt deposits found in the desert and they seemed to prefer the herbs found in the scrublands rather than the ones on their own land. It was serious business that wars once raged over.

"Of course your Majesty. We've been in a drought for two years now, we've been focusing all our efforts on growing food for ourselves." It wasn't a lie in the slightest, the Gerudo had stopped mining salt in favor of tending to the animals and worthwhile crops.

"Perhaps I can convince you otherwise."

"How so?"

"There are many treasures I am willing to part with; ancient swords, paintings, rupees, and Farore's Courage for example." Now was his chance! He didn't want to make it too obvious otherwise suspicion might arise.

"Farore's Courage?" Ganondorf asked with mild interest. "What's that?"

"So you have not heard of our legends?" the king looked disappointed for a moment, then he went back to explaining, "In times of old it is said a hero bearing the brand of Farore saved Hyrule from evil forces, he's the one you see in many of our artworks. The brand vanished, never to be seen again, that is up until seven years ago. We found Farore's Courage in the jungle of all places, we had it brought here for safekeeping, you saw it before entering this very room."

Ganondorf dug his nails into his palm to prevent himself from saying or doing anything stupid. He had the king where he wanted him, there was no sense in ruining the opportunity.

"Well I must admit I'm intrigued, the boy did catch my eye on my way here."

"I'd be more than happy to part with Farore's Courage if you resume sending salt and spices to Hyrule."

"It's an offer I can hardly refuse, however," Ganondorf decided to push his luck knowing that at this point Link would be leaving with him anyway. "Farore's Courage is a person and not a thing, that's an extra mouth that needs to be fed."

"What do you propose?" the king stroked his beard and took a sip of water from his golden cup.

"There is a river that runs along the southern border of Hyrule, I would like permission to construct a canal from it so my people can grow larger yields of crops and increase the amount of spices we're able to export per year."

"That seems a reasonable request, we have a deal." Ganondorf had to stop himself from celebrating on the spot, he couldn't believe how well his first negotiation with a foreign power went. He'd been expecting more bloodshed and vulgarity for his first time so this was a pleasant surprise. The king pulled out a thick piece of parchment and began writing down the specifics of the trade.

In exchange for Farore's Courage, access to the Farosi River, and the small amount of five thousand rupees, the Gerudo had to supply Hyrule Castle with ten pounds of salt and spices per month in addition to resuming their trading routes. With the official document signed, Ganondorf properly thanked the King and left with the paper rolled up in his hand.

He entered the room with his waiting sisters and spoke to them in Gerudo.

"The operation was a success, plus we'll be able to finish that canal we've been working on. Now let's go home before that old fart changes his mind." his sisters were clearly pleased with him and they excitedly grabbed their things. It was nice not messing something up for once. He looked and saw Link sitting on the floor quiet as ever, the poor kid didn't know his life was about to go through a dramatic change, though it was a change for the better. Ganondorf held out his free hand and pulled Link up, all would be explained to him in due time. For now they had to make the journey home.

"Well Hylian, you are under my care now." He led Link out of the room by placing his hand protectively behind his shoulder as if someone would come and swoop him away.

"Noní, pick up the pace. We need to leave before noon." Nabs called out to him in Gerudo. She was right, the roads would be hard to navigate with a wagon in the city once everyone started crowding them. When they left the confines of the castle walls, Link's eyes widened and he looked around like he'd never seen the city before. He probably hadn't except for what he could see from the windows. That made Ganondorf all the angrier at the wretch of a man this land called king.

"Noní! Hurry up!"

"I'm coming!" he called out to his sister, some of the Hylians blocking his way dispersed upon hearing his booming voice. Finally they arrived at the stable where their horses and wagon were kept safe for the week while they stayed in the city. He moved Link near a haypile so he'd be out of the way while the horses were being hitched and Ganondorf spoke to him in Hylian, "Hold still a moment so I can get those ropes off." Link held out his hands and looked at the horses while Ganondorf untied the bindings. Once the ropes fell to the ground, he kicked them aside and helped his sisters finish up getting the wagon ready. Link wrapped his newly freed arms around his waist and he stared blankly at his feet.

"He's a sweet boy, it's a shame we had to meet him under these circumstances." Urbosa, his second eldest sister, commented to him when he started attaching the horses' tack to the cart.

"Yeah, but I'm glad he's out of there. I only wish I could do the same for Zelda."

"She'll figure something out, she's a smart girl." Urbosa reassured him and chuckled. "I remember when you two were little kids always getting off into some sort of trouble, one time she snuck a puppy into the house and managed to convince our mothers the whining they heard was you. She'll be fine."

"Thank you." he said softly and his sister patted his shoulder gently. She always knew what to say.

"Of course. Now come on we should get going." Ganondorf nodded and walked to Link who was still standing in the same spot.

"We're leaving now." he said to Link while doing one last look over of the stable to make sure they weren't forgetting anything.

"Yes, sir." the voice was meek and it caused him to freeze in his tracks. Nuh-uh. Nope. Definitely not. Gross. Not today, not ever. While he did appreciate being called names of respect, rare as that was, this was not one of those times. The Gerudo language did not have a sir and ma'am equivalent, there was no need for it. Besides, it felt wrong that a kid his age felt obligated to call him that in fear of some unknown retribution.

"Don't call me that." he hadn't meant for it to come out as a command, but that was his natural manner of speaking. Link flinched as if he'd been struck, he moved his lips to speak but no words followed. Great. The Hylian had only been in his care for twenty minutes and he was already having a panic attack. "I'm sorry. You don't have to talk if you don't want to." That seemed to calm Link down slightly and Ganondorf ushered him into the wagon before any more time was lost.

Nabs took the reins and led them out of the city, they managed to leave just before the crowds hogged the streets. Link sat between Urbosa and him, the Hylian eagerly took in the sights of the lush countryside and he stared at the horseback riders who passed their wagon. Ganondorf rested his head on his hands and closed his eyes, the warm summer breeze felt refreshing on his face.

He must have fallen asleep like that because a sudden jolt from the wagon sent him flying to the floor. His sisters laughed at him, even Link had a hint of a smile, He dusted his clothes off and sat back down with his arms crossed in front of him.

"As I was saying," Urbosa said to Link while he fiddled with his necklace, "you can tell the twins apart by looking at their hair. Koume's is long and Kotake's is short. You've already met my brother, Noní, and up front leading the horses is Nabs. It's short for Nabooru, but don't let her hear you say it, she hates it. Our mothers had a thing for old traditional names you see."

"I heard that!" Nabs shouted in Gerudo and she purposefully steered the wagon so it would run over a bump.

"Lighten up, you're going to make us fall out." Kotake said after rubbing her sore back.

"That's the idea." It didn't take long for the twins and Nabs to start bickering while using every vulgar Gerudo word they knew. Urbosa was annoyed while Link looked confused, it was an expression he wore a lot.

"Stop arguing!" Ganondorf interjected while staring down the twins. "Can we all at least try speaking in Hylian?"

"What's this? Little brother is trying to order us around? How precious." Koume said with a mock and she laughed until she realized no one had joined her. Ha! For once he wasn't the one to make a fool of themself.

"I agree with him," Urbosa said in Hylian, out of all his siblings she was by far the best at speaking the language, "try speaking it at least until we arrive home." A few grunts of understanding followed and things finally seemed to settle down.

By the time the sun started to set they were already more than halfway home. Thankfully the farther south they went, the more friendly the passerby travellers became. They parked their wagon at a designated resting area and Nabs began tending to the horses. The twins started a fire and started cooking dinner which smelled surprisingly wonderful. Link had fallen asleep a couple of hours ago, he was resting peacefully on Urbosa's arm.

Ganondorf hopped out of the wagon and made himself comfortable by the fire. He stoked it a few times and watched as a flurry of embers floated into the sky and turned into gray ash. As the sun vanished beyond the horizon the sky gradually darkened and made way for the bright moon to shine upon the land. Creatures of the night stirred and rustled through the tall grass. Somewhere in the distance a pack of wolves howled, beckoning their members to join in on a hunt.

Urbosa approached the fire with Link trailing her like a hound, she sat on her travelling pillow while Link contently stared at the flames. Ganondorf yanked one of the pillows out from under him and set it to the side with a few pats.

"You can sit if you'd like." he was painfully aware his tone came across as a demand. He was talented in many ways, he was good at most things he did. Great even. When people spoke of his exploits he was sure they mentioned how amazing his sheer power and skill was. Despite that there was something he didn't have; volume control. He felt pretty bad about that now.

Link sat down with a tense posture while keeping his line of sight directly on the fire. When the twins were done cooking the mutton rice patties, the food was passed around in old wooden bowls they kept stored away with the other cooking supplies. Ganondorf carefully ate his large portion and made sure to not spill any of it on his clothes. He couldn't help but gawk at his newest companion who was scarfing down the meal, rice was all over his face and dingy tunic. Link must have noticed he had an audience because he slowed down and brushed off his shirt.

"Have the rest of mine, I'm full." Ganondorf handed his bowl to Link who greedily accepted it and did a little head bow before digging in. He lied, he was still hungry but Link needed the food more than he did. Nabs gave him a wry grin like she knew something he didn't, he wasn't sure what that was about. Older sisters were just weird.

When everyone finished eating they remained by the fire and told stories in Hylian for Link's sake. He still looked to be confused about his new surroundings but at least he wasn't frightened. Ganondorf didn't know if Link would attempt to run away with his newfound freedom, nor did he know what he would do if he tried fleeing. Tie him up? Knock him out? He could do those things but he didn't want to. Friends didn't tie up friends. Usually.

Link and the twins were the first to fall asleep, Urbosa carried them individually to wagon so they wouldn't have to sleep on the dew covered grass. Nabs tossed a few more logs on the fire and she let out a yawn as she sat next to Ganondorf. When Urbosa was finished she sat on his free side, the three siblings huddled together near the flames for warmth.

"We're proud of you." Urbosa said while she combed his perfectly shaped hair into a set of plaits. He couldn't help but smile due to both the praise and his hair being braided, he knew he was fairly amazing but it was still nice to hear the validation from his sister. Some people back home had been nervous about his meeting with the king, they thought he would start a fight or something along those lines.

"I'm curious about something." Nabs said in their native language, since Link was sleeping there wasn't a need to speak in Hylian. "It's told in the old writings the bearers of the triforce were naturally drawn together so they may find each other during times of need. What does it feel like?" Ganondorf looked at his wrapped hand not quite sure how to respond.

He remembered when Zelda showed him the mark on her hand all those years ago, it had given him a warm and fuzzy feeling even if all three were not yet together. When she magically concealed it a part of that warmth vanished as well. He instinctively knew Zelda hadn't shown it to anyone since because he hadn't once felt that warmth resurface, not even for a second. There was another warmth constantly present, he knew now it must belong to Link, it felt different than Zelda's in a way he couldn't explain. The closer he went to the castle the stronger the warm feeling became. Now that Link was close there was a consistent thrumming in his heart, though he still felt there was a piece missing. He wondered for a moment if the other two felt the same sensations he did, along with the strong urge to protect.

"I don't know, it's tingly I guess. Why?" he finally responded while narrowing his eyes and swatting away bugs.

"In all my years of knowing you I have not once seen you share your food with someone else."

Oh. He shrugged his shoulders and rested his head on his palms, it had been an exhausting day. His sisters continued to play with his hair and they talked about things that didn't interest him. Eventually he fell into a well earned deep sleep, one that would go uninterrupted

The rest of the ride was uneventful, they passed the border shortly after noon. Ganondorf remembered Zelda's note was still in his pocket, he retrieved it and gave it to Link. He read over it intently and folded it into his pocket when he was finished, he frowned and stared at the nearing city. Ganondorf was curious about the letter but he was a decent enough person and hadn't snuck a look at it.

Finally they arrived home, the stable hands took care of the cart and horses for them so they didn't have to. He ushered Link away from the crowded market square while giving a few people a nasty glare; the Hylian was strictly off limits. Quickly he led Link out of the heat and into one of the massive buildings, he brought him up a set of stairs and he opened the door to his room.

The room was small and cozy, the red walls were bare save for a few portraits of his immediate family and his lovely mare. His clothes were hung neatly on a rack, though there were still a few thrown on the floor from when he was frustrated picking out what he wanted to wear when he met the king. A large mirror was positioned on a palm wood dresser, jewelry and combs of all sorts were strewn across it. His soft mattress had been shoved aside to make room for another identical bed.

"You'll be staying with me." he explained to Link. "We don't have any spare rooms and I'm the only other guy around here so…" he trailed off but Link gave him a nod of understanding.

"There's a library upstairs that you're more than welcome to use, the restroom is on the bottom floor next to the meeting area we walked by. If you go outside don't go past the patrollers, the land out there isn't safe. And for the love of Din, if anyone offers you something called a 'salerto' tell them no. I have to take care of some business so make yourself comfortable, Urbosa is across the hall if you need anything." Link nodded again and he sat on the bed with the folded up blankets.

It was going to take the both of them a while to adjust to this.

* * *

Ganondorf stood in the shade of the tall palm tree and observed Link from a respectable distance. His charge sat on the soft sand around the oasis, his feet were submerged in the clear blue water. He wondered how long Link had been sitting under the oppressive rays of the afternoon sun wearing nothing but that sleeveless shirt of his and rolled up pants. While he did have a moderately dark complexion like the rest of the Hylians from Faron, that wasn't enough to protect him from the harmful desert sun. Especially not right after noon.

A little bit annoyed, Ganondorf took off his bright cotton tunic and was left with his dull brown undershirt. He padded towards Link while making sure his footsteps were heavy and easily heard. The past several days he and everyone else gave Link space so he could adjust to his new surroundings at his own rate, there was no sense in overwhelming him. Without fail his new roommate always made his way to the oasis after breakfast and stayed there for hours at a time.

Perhaps what he needed was a friend.

Link cast an eye at Ganondorf when he entered his field of vision with the maroon bundle in his hands.

"This is for you, it'll protect you from sunburn." he said while cutting the silence like a knife through reeds, Link grabbed the large tunic and put it on without uttering a word. The tips of his long ears were tinted red due to the exposure from the sun, it was nothing a little bit of ointment couldn't fix. He didn't know what to do next, he wasn't accustomed to dealing with people his age. Friends were something he really didn't have a lot of. "Can I sit?"

Link nodded and adjusted the baggy tunic sleeves that engulfed his arms. Ganondorf sat next to Link, but not so close that he'd feel uncomfortable. They watched the water ripple when a wind from the east picked up, the lilies and grasses swayed gently from side to side. He could see why Link enjoyed staying in this spot for hours on end, it was peaceful. Etched in the sand were a few crude drawings of different types of animals, he decided he'd rummage through one of the council rooms later to find some supplies Link could draw with.

"You know there's many things Hylians don't know about me and my people." Ganondorf managed to say, Link regarded him curiously. He did his best to talk in a calm manner as he continued. "The northern Hylians happily take our food and jewelry as their own, but beyond that they know nothing of our culture. They're told the Gerudo only give birth to a male once per century. Do you believe in that?"

Link shook no and he kept his head turned slightly so Ganondorf could see both his eyes. They were an interesting color, teal with dark flecks and a ring of brown. He realized he probably had been staring longer than he should, but in his defense it wasn't often Link made eye contact.

"They're wrong of course, but there is a reason that myth became popular. It is still rare to see Gerudo men, I didn't meet another one until I was fifteen. He was a real jerk too, he totally cheated at our fighting match, went for a real low blow." There! Just for a moment he saw Link smile. Maybe if he continued to talk about the more embarrassing parts of his life it would make Link happy. Perhaps another time, he had a different plan in mind.

"Before then I used to feel like the only one, I knew there were others but I started doubting myself. I haven't really told this to anyone before, but I used to feel so alone. I know what you're going through." Admitting his feelings like this felt strange, he hoped his confession helped Link feel a little less lost.

"Here, I'd like to show you something." Ganondorf carefully unwrapped the cloth binding he always kept on his right hand, the skin there was lighter due to it never being exposed to the sun. The golden tone of the triforce permanently imbedded into his skin sparkled in the sunlight. He lowered his hand and moved it so Link could easily see it.

"...Nonny, t-that's…" Link said with a slight stutter, his eyes went wide and his mouth remained open in his shock. It only took Ganondorf a few seconds to realize Link had called him by his nickname, even though it was a slight mispronunciation of Noní. He dared not correct him though, that had been the first time Link spoke to him. The time Link called him sir didn't count. His heart fluttered a bit.

"I'm a bearer, just as you are." he supplied. "You can touch it if you'd like." Link softly grabbed his hand so he could inspect the mark, his finger lightly traced the outline of the triangle. The heartwarming smile that crept onto Link's face was precious, for the first time since he'd been freed from the clutches of the king he didn't look lost or weary.

He didn't have to be alone anymore.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Whoops, I updated this on Ao3 but forgot to here. Sorry about that.

* * *

 _Ten years ago_

Zelda gently rubbed her cheek where the branch had scratched her face, thankfully there was no blood when she inspected the palm of her hand. The dense bush had a pungent bitter odor, small thorns lined the leaf stems. Even though the plant offered an ample amount of shade, she could still feel the sun piercing through her sunburnt skin. Sand stuck to her arms and face, her once neatly plaited hair was in a disarray of snarls and snapped twigs. The immaculate white dress she was supposed to wear was covered with dirt stains, the hems were starting to fray and unravel. If her guardians found her like this she'd be in a world of trouble.

She didn't want to leave, especially since she found out she wouldn't be coming back. For as long as she could remember she always went to the Gerudo Desert every year for a month, she was told it was to maintain positive relations with the people who resided in the southern regions of Hyrule. It was fun travelling away from the castle, the people who she spoke to were always friendly and kind. She even managed to befriend a few people, one of them was a boy her age who she grew rather close to.

Eavesdropping was not okay, or so she had been told every time she was caught sneaking around some dark corner. Or when she was found hiding behind furniture. Or when she pressed her ear against a door where adults were talking in the closed off room. Some things couldn't be helped. She was supposed to trust her guardians, how could she do that when they were always lying to her and speaking behind her back?

"Zelda, that's a thorn bush." The sudden voice startled her, but to her relief it was only her friend Gan. "Why are you in a thorn bush?"

"It doesn't matter, go away."

"No. Are you sad?" Gan sat in front of the bush with his legs crossed, he twiddled with a piece of grass and made it apparent he wasn't leaving anytime soon. Zelda huffed and did her best to ignore him, he was stubborn as always. "Mama said you're leaving tomorrow, that's why you're hiding."

"It's none of your business!" she snapped while further entangling herself into the spiky plant. Hurting Gan's feelings wasn't her intention, he was a cherished friend who wasn't afraid to speak whatever it was on his mind. He didn't keep secrets and he didn't talk about her behind her back. That only made the current situation at hand all the more painful.

The mark hidden beneath her bandage felt like it was being poked by bristles, she wanted to scratch it but Impa told her to leave it alone to make sure no one else discovered it. The triforce showed up a day earlier, she knew better than to tell anyone other than Impa about it. She knew it was what the King, her father, was searching for. It felt strange, almost like she had two spare warm heartbeats in addition to her own, each thrummed in a unique rhythm. A brief surge of sadness overcame her, she knew the feeling belonged to one of the other bearers.

When she peered through the bush, Zelda noticed Gan looked like he'd been stung, a frown he typically reserved for the days she departed back home was visible on his face. He scooted backwards and gave Zelda a fair amount of space without uttering a word.

"Wait, I'm sorry." Zelda said while carefully crawling out of the plant, the thorns thankfully didn't snag her dress too much. "Don't leave."

"I wasn't going to." Gan replied and his frown was replaced with a content smile. He offered a hand and Zelda grabbed it so she could pull herself completely out of the bush. For a moment the hum of her triforce piece matched with the pace of one of the others, it was a comforting sensation. Gan stared at her with a confused expression like he had felt it as well. When Zelda looked at her friend's hand, all was made clear; he bore the mark of power.

"When did you get that?" she asked with a hint of panic, Gan withdrew his hand and tucked it firmly against his chest.

"I woke up this morning with it."

"Did you show it to anyone?"

"Only Mom, she told me to keep it hidden. You won't tell anyone, right?" Gan almost seemed frightened, it took a lot to scare him. Zelda shook her head and started unwrapping the bandage from her right hand, when the golden mark was revealed Gan looked at her in awe. "You have it, too?"

"Yes. Do you know what it is?"

"No." Zelda moved closer to him until their knees were touching, she still could hardly believe her best friend was one of the bearers.

She told him about the old legends and stories, he nodded occasionally having recognized a few of the tales. The triforce was a mysterious and powerful force, in the wrong hands it could wreck havoc upon the world, that was why it was split into three parts. Long ago, Power was corrupted and threatened the land when its bearer at the time lost sight of who they were. Wisdom was able to purge the evil infecting Power, things went back to way they were supposed to be, the three bearers working together in harmony. The pieces yearned for each other, the call was not easily ignored. Courage was out there somewhere waiting to join its companions, only time would tell if the three bearers would meet in this lifetime.

Gan looked at the mark with narrowed eyes, he pulled down his sleeve so it was mostly covered.

"I'm not bad, right?" he asked when Zelda was finished speaking.

"Of course not." she replied and patted his knee reassuringly. "You haven't done anything wrong, right?"

"Um, well...yeah. I, uh, ate one of your guards' breakfast."

"Their breakfast?"

"Yeah!" Gan nodded excitedly and looked rather proud about his accomplishment. "Sausage links, they were a bit gross but I didn't get caught."

"Why did you do that?"

"Eh," Gan shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "the guy was a jerk." Zelda nodded, she thought that was an acceptable reason. They sat quietly in the warm sand, Zelda didn't know what to say now. She was leaving her best friend for good, the King made it clear she wouldn't be visiting the desert anymore. Sure, Gan was being raised to be the Gerudo ambassador meaning of course he'd travel to Hyrule Castle when he was older, but that would only be for strictly professional dealings. Would he hate her for leaving?

"There's something I need to tell you." she said once she found her courage, it wouldn't be fair to her friend if she left without saying a proper goodbye. "I'm not coming back after I leave tomorrow."

"Oh." Gan sighed and looked at her without any traces of anger or hatred. Zelda didn't know why she thought he'd be mad, but she was happy that wasn't the case.

"I hope we can still be friends."

"Of course!" Gan exclaimed and he stood up while holding his hand out, Zelda grabbed it in order to pull herself up. He opened his arms and wrapped her in a comforting hug, she welcomed it and embraced him. He murmured something in Gerudo, then repeated in Hylian, "We'll always be friends."

 _Present_

Zelda narrowly dodged the strike and she leaped out of the way while swinging back with her arming sword. The force of the blow was enough to force her opponent back, allowing herself to regain her composure. She quickly fixed her stance and she held her sword expertly in her hand as she looked for an opening.

Their footsteps echoed in the stone sparring chamber, the only other noise present was their strained breaths. The cracks in the floor and strewn barrels proved to be pitiful obstacles, Zelda easily avoided them as she sprung her attack. She rushed forward when she found an opening, to her dismay she found herself disarmed in an instant. Her sword clattered uselessly on the floor and she stared indignantly at the weapon pointed mere inches from her chest.

"That was sloppy." Impa commented while sheathing her sword, how she fought without breaking a sweat, Zelda would never know.

"I know." Zelda said after retrieving her fallen sword, she wiped her damp forehead and pulled back the loose strands of hairs that stuck to her skin. Normally she loved partaking in the secret lessons Impa held for her, but her heart wasn't in it today. Thankfully Impa did not scoff or roll her eyes, she simply nodded and helped Zelda clean herself up.

"There's a lot on your mind I can see. We can finish early today."

"Thank you." It wasn't often they cut the sessions short, Zelda actually liked it when the lessons ran longer than expected. She went to the corner where she stashed her clothes and she changed from the tight sparring clothes into a comfortable lounging dress. Once the room was back to the way they found it, the two left and started the long climb up the stairs to Zelda's room.

She'd been learning how to fight and defend herself since her mother passed away when she was seven, Impa was the best teacher she could ever hope to have. No one else, save for them, knew about the lessons. The number of times Zelda managed to sneak out of the heavily guarded castle walls were too many to count at this point. Despite her skill she had to always be on alert, it wouldn't just be her but Impa as well getting punished if she were to be discovered.

Zelda opened her door and gave Impa a respectful bow before turning in for the night. Her room was well lit due to the mass amount of candles she kept burning, it smelled faintly of maplewood and cotton. Her red wooden floor, typically immaculate, was covered with balled up papers and tossed quills. They were all drafts of the letter she wrote to Link, it had taken her a couple days to write the final note. In the end she hadn't been happy with it, there was nothing about the situation that could make her feel at ease.

Link was safe for now, as was Gan. This was all temporary of course, it was foolish to think the King would allow Courage to leave his clutches for good. Once he found the bearers of Wisdom and Power he would want Courage back, of course finding the first two would prove to be a great challenge seeing as they knew to stay hidden. The King had no idea that what he sought was lying within an arm's reach in the form of his daughter.

Zelda collected the discarded papers and stashed them in a bag to be burned later, it had been reckless to leave them strewn about for anyone to see. Thankfully the servants appeared to have ignored them, leaving notes around the place was nothing new for her, they knew to leave papers be when they cleaned her room and lit the night candles. When she was sure she had the last of the drafts safely hidden away, she sat on her bed and glanced out the window.

She hoped this wasn't a huge mistake, putting her trust into Gan like this. He promised he'd take care of Link, he'd given her no reason to distrust him. Her old friend was as cocky and kind as she remembered him being, perhaps it was unfair of her to assume the passing by years would have changed that. Then again she had every right to be leery of others, there had been too many times she'd been betrayed by others. At least it seemed he was genuine, and if he wasn't then he had her to deal with.

After what seemed like hours, Zelda finally changed into her nightgown and made herself comfortable in her silk sheets. She was tired but she knew she would remain restless throughout the night worrying over herself. Reuniting the three bearers was a must, she had to come up with a plan to keep the three of them safe together.

The fate of the land depended on it.


End file.
